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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743435">Eyes of Starlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zara_Zara/pseuds/Zara_Zara'>Zara_Zara</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Death Note (Anime &amp; Manga), Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Magic, Background Character Death, Crack, Crossover, Knight!B, M/M, Prince!L, Wizard!Light, idk why that's so funny to me, omg, this is such crack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:06:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,269</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23743435</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zara_Zara/pseuds/Zara_Zara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In a land of myth, and a time of magic...Light is born with magic and it is both a curse and a blessing. He's been doing a pretty good job keeping it secret, but he meets the most annoying man in all the lands (who happens to be the prince, but that's not really important---Or is it?).</p><p>UPDATE (4/23/2021): Story is discontinued.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>L/Yagami Light</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have no idea what I'm doing. I just wanted to write a little meet-cute between L and Light but using Merlin as the set up for this AU, and now it's likely going to be broken up between two or three chapters. Rip. </p><p> </p><p>Note: I took the dialogue from Merlin for the king (Uther) and yeah...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Yagami Light was born, starlight burned in his eyes---a sign of magic. The yellow fire danced in his eyes very briefly before sputtering out and returning to his brown eyes. However briefly it flickered, it was just enough for Sachiko to see and firmly decide on his name: Light. </p><p>Light was for all intents and purposes, a perfect baby. He was not a baby prone to fits of wailing, he was not too fussy for attention, and he had an extraordinarily curious look in his eyes that often had the tendency to unnerve those who encountered him. Perhaps his perfection was meant to balance the fits of mischief his magic would spout. </p><p>To his parent’s great anxiety, strange things would happen in the Yagami household and it cost an awful lot of effort to conceal their child’s gift of magic. If a curious neighbor were to walk by and see a pair of old silverware dancing on the table, then gossip would catch like wildfire and reach the interest of the king who would want to steal Light away for his army of wizards. </p><p>Light's magic is beautiful and it often pains Sachiko to have to discourage her son from using it. That doesn’t mean that he can help it if the magic bursts during an odd fit of frustration or when he’s overcome by delight. The air tends to smell like ozone and steel when Light falls into a mood about not being able to play with the other children because of his gift. Sachiko won’t call his magic anything other than that, even if it sometimes feels like a curse due to the threat its discovery poses to her son. And then flowers erupt out of their floorboards and glimmers of light sparkle around him like faint embers when he’s proud about understanding a rather difficult passage or other in one of their meager collection of books. Those embers flare brighter when Soichiro returns from duty every once in a while to visit his family. </p><p>When Sayu was born, Light would take to long bouts of silently staring at her face as if waiting for something. When Sachiko noticed his odd behavior and asked him what he was doing, he dragged his gaze to her and said, “I’m looking for the starlight,” he then flicked his eyes back towards Sayu with an almost heartbreaking expression of hope and expectation that Sachiko had first mistaken for jealousy over the newest addition to the family. </p><p>“Oh, Light,” Sachiko placed a comforting hand on his soft hair, “She’s not like you.” Light didn’t look away from Sayu but he clenched his little fists tight as the air started to smell like dead flowers---he's sad. Disappointed because he didn't have anyone else who was like him.   </p><p>As soon as he was old enough to understand, Sochiro had sat a four year-old Light down and explained the dangers that could befall Light if he were to be caught using magic. Light had nodded along with a seriousness and a sense of perfect understanding that made him seem far too old for his true age. Sachiko will never forget what Light had asked after Sochiro was finished describing the sort of life magical children face as wizard soldiers for their king. He had solemnly asked, “What would happen to mother, father, and Sayu if I were to be caught?”</p><p>Sochiro had seemed caught off guard by this question and he had said with the barest traces of a quiver in his voice, “A horror beyond words: the loss of our son.”</p><p>Light had blinked in surprise at Soichiro and that perplexed expression remained on his face as his father drew him in for a hug. Light had locked eyes on Sachiko and his little sister who slept in her arms and Sachiko watched as a glint of determination set in his eyes.  </p><p>After this, Light threw himself into his books more intensely. These books were gifts from Sachiko’s brother, the Court Physician for the king of Camelot. It seemed like he had concluded that the more he developed his intelligence, the more he was able to control his magic.  Eventually, as Light grew older, he learned to reign in his magic. His calm and collected personality began to reflect the careful diligence in which he reigned in his magic and it very rarely ever spontaneously manifested. In some ways it saddened Sachiko to see Light mature much faster than the other children in the neighborhood, but it was for his own protection. He wasn't irresponsible and foolish like the other boys his age, but he was good. On top of that, while Light's magic quieted, his intelligence grew, but it did not have much chance to thrive in their small village. So, as his eighteenth birthday approached she thought of ways to help her son thrive.</p><p> </p><p>******</p><p> </p><p>The first thing Light saw upon his arrival to Camelot was an execution.</p><p>He wasn’t aware that it was an execution, he had just heard the buzzing noises of a large crowd and had grown curious as to what the large gathering was about. But he had found his answer upon spotting the hangman’s noose high above the heads of the crowd. </p><p>The morbid excitement which pressed all around him intrigued him. The day was slightly overcast and Light found that an odd anticipation to see the criminal awakened in him as well. It ignited his curiosity, for he wondered who the criminal was and what they had done. They must have done something truly horrible to warrant a public execution such as this. Light’s heart started to beat fast from the contagious excitement of those around him. Light was raised with very strong principles of what was right and wrong due to the influence of his father; so it was somewhat thrilling to be able to see a criminal receive a punishment as formal as this. In his small village, nothing ever happened. The most punishment Light ever saw was when his neighbor had to help mend their fence after a pig broke in. </p><p>In an attempt to assuage his curiosity he attempted to listen in on the words of the people who surrounded him in the hopes of picking up a clue. Maybe something like: “murderer” or “rapist” but he heard none of that. The crowd was far too large and words seemed to whirl all around him in a wild, indecipherable tangle. He was about to ask someone if they knew who was going to be executed, but then there was a sudden hush in the crowd. </p><p>The criminal was tall, lean, and young. The young man hung his head as he got tugged to the executioner’s block by a rope wrapped around his wrists. Even if he tried to hide his face behind his dirty brown hair, the strands were not enough to disguise the fear clearly evident in the pallor of his skin and the wet spot in his pants. </p><p>The crowd was oddly silent as they stared in stony, judgmental silence at the two-man procession. The executioner and the dead-man climbed the steps of the executioner’s platform slowly and as quietly as a dream.</p><p>Upon a balcony in the high walled castle, the king of Camelot watched the proceedings below him with an aura as remote and cold as a mountain. It wasn't much of a challenge for Light to determine who the man was due to not only his physical position in regards to the rest of the crowd---a balcony high, but not too high to be impersonal----but also for the fine yet understated finery the man was dressed in. It was an overcast day, and the thin silver band that encircled his temples gleamed a dull color. </p><p>Light got jostled by someone who tried to get closer to the executioner’s platform and Light scowled to have his space invaded. However, his attention snapped back to the imposing figure too the king as he said, “Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic,” Light froze as his breath escaped him. <em> It can’t be. Maybe the man did something terrible with his magic. </em> No matter how disturbed he felt, Light willed himself to pay attention to the king as the man said, “decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass,” The king coolly looked upon his subjects and then raised his arm, then lowered it as a signal to the executioner. Faster than Light was ready to perceive, the young man was flung into the air and the rope snapped his neck; killing him instantaneously. Light closed his mouth which had dropped in shock and he wrestled his expression away from the obvious horror that must've be written upon it. He didn’t want to seem out of place amongst the looks of relief, and even <em> pleasure, </em> that he spotted amongst the crowd. But shivers wracked his frame and he had to fight his magic from manifesting itself accidentally. He could already smell the ozone. </p><p>“When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin.” The people are about to shout in celebration when they were broken off by a great and terrible scream. </p><p>A woman pointed a shaky finger full of condemnation at the king and wailed, “There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance!” She was really close to Light and he could see the desperation contorting her face into the very picture of hatred, “You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears,” An insane smile ripped through her face, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son.”</p><p>The king’s flat expression shifted and he scowled in disgust at the woman. “Seize her!” he commanded, but before anyone could do anything the woman shouted some gibberish and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. </p><p>Murmurs of discontent flitted through the crowd, but there was no one with more unease than Light.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Targets and Daggers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A meeting.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I was genuinely surprised to see how many of you all wanted to see this continued! I thought it was gonna be too weird for DN or something. But, I'm really happy that some of you liked the idea!</p><p>I hope the transition from past-tense to present tense isn't too weird. If it is I'm sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the execution, some of Light’s unease gets placated when he meets his mother’s brother, Yuki. The man is much older than his mother, but despite his much more weathered face, Yuki and his mother share the same kind eyes. Yuki’s home lay in the lower levels of the castle and it was dim with small windows. The smell of dried and fresh plants made the space smell like the thickest parts of a healthy forest. Yuki gave him a small room for Light to sleep in, and he had never had a room for himself so he had been very pleased with it even if Yuki apologized for the cramped space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man had also given him something besides his room. Yuki had given him a book about magic, but had implored him to keep it hidden and to not tell any one of its existence. His uncle knew of his magic due to the letter that Sachiko had impressed upon Light to not let it fall into anyone else’s hands but his uncle’s. The letter informed Yuki of Light’s magic. Immediately after Yuki had read it he burned it in a homely chimney fire. In a hushed voice that even a small mouse would have had trouble hearing, Yuki promised Light to guard his secret with his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The part that concerned Light about their interaction had been the fact that Yuki had been shocked when Light told him that he did not study magic. Light told him he was born with it but </span>
  <span>Yuki had told him that was impossible and seemed to have a hard time believing he didn't learn it from somewhere. When he finally accepted that what Light said was true, Yuki seemed impressed and further warned him to keep his magic all the more secret. Yuki told him he had never met anyone who was born with magic and that because magic was such a changeable thing, Light had to be very careful to keep it under wraps. Yuki also promised to help Light gain a better mastery of it and Light very much looked forward to learning more about his powers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was some semblance of comfort to know that being mentored by his uncle would be well worth the risks he was taking by even stepping inside Camelot as a magic-user. But, staying with his family back at their village would have surely bored him to death, and Light would forever be grateful to his mother for permitting him to try and make something of himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite those thoughts, it still didn’t stop him from running through all the possible outcomes of everything that could go wrong and what he should do in the event of being caught as a magic-user. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Early in the morning on Light’s first proper day in Camelot, the young man is walking outside while deep in thought when something catches his attention. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the sunlight, there are a group of young men dressed in a mix of loose armor and what appears to be training clothes. Taking in their attire and the variety of weapons they bear, Light deduces that they are the knights of the castle. The men appear to be having a lazy morning of training as they toss silver daggers at a target that’s propped some ways away from them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light curiously watches their activities because he’s never seen any knights before and has only heard about them from his readings. A pair of the knights catches Light’s attention for their skill in throwing daggers and the surprising physical similarities between the two of them---they would almost look like identical twins were it not for the unique flash of red eyes that one of them bore. Other than that, they both had the same pale skin, the same black hair, and even the same crooked posture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light was about to leave when he saw a peculiar smile stretch across the red eyed man’s face as he expertly twirled a dagger between his fingers and eyed one of the servant boys closest to him. Light could only describe his expression as having pure deviousness writ across it and so Light curiously stayed to see what the man obviously had planned. To his surprise the man didn’t toss the dagger at the serving boy like Light was thinking he was going to do given his expression, instead the man flings his dagger at the target, and for the first time since Light originally saw the group, it misses and hits the very outer edge of the thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man who is presumably his twin notes this with a teasing lilt to his otherwise flat face, “Dare I say it, I think you are getting tired, B.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense, it’s just the sun is in my eyes now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s never stopped you before, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man who was called B straightens up very slightly in obvious pride and says, “I think I’ve just gotten bored of this particular challenge. Haven’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what do you suggest we do instead?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I say we throw daggers at a </span>
  <em>
    <span>moving </span>
  </em>
  <span>target,” B gestured with a fresh dagger at the servant boy he was eyeing previously. There is nearly a hungry look in his eyes as he suggested his idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” The other man’s eyes widen and he bites at his thumb nail in thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>B elbows the man and says, "Come on, I know you want to try it."  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man glances at B and the other knights before he turns back to B. Light’s stomach falls when he sees that he looks interested, “Let’s try it.” B’s grin eagerly grows in sick excitement as the man briskly beckons the servant boy to them and instructs him to pick up the target and move it to the shadows. The other knights start chortling and whispering amongst themselves as B whispers something to the other man too low for Light to hear from his place. Shocked, he watches as the man quickly whips up his dagger and flings it directly onto the center of the target. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The poor serving boy yelps in fright as the dagger hits its mark and he drops the target to grip at his chest in panic. Unaware of the boy’s pale and alarmed face, the knights whoop and cheer in delighted surprise. The man who threw the dagger looks smug as the others urge him to tell the servant boy to pick up the target again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light grows incensed when the man imperiously says, “What are you doing just standing there? Go on, pick it up and move,” The boy scrambles to lift the target and he tries to hunch his face and upper body over it as he slowly walks backward and away from the knights with his eyes squeezed shut. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man quickly throws another series of daggers that hit their mark each time and B barks, “You call that a moving target? Run, boy, run!” The boy jumps and trips over his feet, the target rolls out of his hands and down to Light’s feet. The boy crawls over to Light to pick it up again but Light stomps on it with his foot and glares at the unpleasant party of knights. He sets his gaze particularly on two of the so-called "knights" in particular. Truly, he expected better of the knights of Camelot and this whole spectacle has been distressingly disappointing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blood boiling, Light says, “How dare you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surprisingly it’s not B who addresses Light, but the other one. He blinks large dark eyes at Light and says, “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I dare say, that’s quite enough.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man takes one curious step towards Light, his cheeks are dusted pink from their previous activity of harassing the servant boy and it highlights the bafflement in his eyes, “Do I know you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Light sticks his chin up, “I would never acquaint myself with someone the likes of you.” Light hears the knights gasp in surprise behind the man but he hardly pays them any attention, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man raises his eyebrows and says, “Is that so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. That was no way to treat a servant, let alone another human being,” Light offers a hand to the servant boy who remained at his feet and Light was surprised to see he looked even more terrified than before. Light worried that he was somehow doing magic without realizing it because he was so angry, but a quick scan of his surroundings did not reveal anything amiss. That is, except for the faint smell of iron and ozone that hanged ever so delicately in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man suddenly laughed, “Who do you think you are, </span>
  <em>
    <span>boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Light Yagami.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that name supposed to mean something to me?” The man didn’t wait for Light to respond and measuredly walked up to Light’s face to stare him down, “Tell me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Light, </span>
  </em>
  <span>do you know how to walk on your knees?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light felt his hackles raise but levelled his own glare at the man, “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man faux-pleasantly asks,  “Would you like me to help you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light grits his teeth and unthinkingly says, “I wouldn’t if I were you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man widens his eyes, “Is that a threat I hear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light firmly presses his mouth together and before he could deny it the man called B suddenly shouts, “That was a threat if I ever did hear one!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I must say I’m inclined to believe my friend. My remaining question is, what are you going to do to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light turns his face away and mutters, “Nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man frowns slightly, “How disappointing, I did not think you were a coward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light flared up again, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> not the coward!” The man's eyes brighten as he watches him with keen interest, and his strange gaze is what made Light rocket his fist at him, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> were the one who listened to those bastards!” And by bastards, Light meant the knights and their encouragement to bully the servant but he hardly had time to elaborate when his arm was consequently caught and twisted behind his back in one expert maneuver. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Light tried wrestling himself away but the man pinned Light’s back to his chest and tightly held his arm, “I’ll have you thrown in jail for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?!” Light tried even harder to escape his hold, “Who do you think you are? The king?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Superiorly, and with more than a hint of amusement, the man said, “No, I’m his son, L.” </span>
</p><p>Light gasped, <em>Shit</em>. And then he was roughly pushed onto his knees. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Idk if I wanna make this a full out plotty-fic or if I want to make this into a series of vignette-like short stories. let me know which you'd prefer and I'll take your opinions into consideration. </p><p>Come find me on Tumblr @lightsredapple   That's my DN blog for posting fic updates and such X)</p><p>Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment if you liked!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Poisoned Chalice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey! Time really slipped by me and I had not realized I have not updated this fic for a month.....<br/>Also, sorry for any mistakes, my ability to proofread left me on read for five years. She’s a traitor. Trust no one, not even yourself.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night is clear and vibrant with the energy of life. A dinner party crowds the main dining hall of the castle, there are rising smiles and falling teeth upon the food of the feast. Everyone is either preoccupied with themselves or upon each other, but Light notices one strange woman who seems to have all her attention on the bored looking crowned prince who sits besides his father. When Light appeases his curiosity and draws closer to her he realizes it’s that lady he saw during the day of that young man’s execution. Everything from the hardened lines of her face to the hatred shining bright as daggers in her eyes suggests that she is going to do something and very soon at that. Light may not have any fondness for the prince, but he does not want to see anyone else die if he can help it...Even if that someone is as rude as the prince. </p><p>Following his gut, Light edges closer to the prince in case he can deflect whatever the lady plans on doing with his magic. Despite anticipating an attack of some sort, he’s still surprised to see a flash of silver as the woman raises one bony arm and hurls it directly towards the prince.  </p><p>Unthinkingly, Light’s magic springs out of him and everyone around him grows quiet and unmoving, as if the dining hall were suddenly submerged in water. And there, he spots the dagger inching towards them at an almost gentle pace. Because he’s closer to the prince than the dagger, Light charges towards him and pulls him down to the floor. With a snap, the dagger embeds itself on the chair in which the prince sat just moments before. Like a harsh gust of wind, the dining hall explodes back into life. </p><p>Laying in a graceless heap on the ground, the prince blinks in shock at Light and pushes him away as he jumps back to his feet. Light huffs at that display of ingratitude but he gets up anyway to see if the woman still poses a threat. He feels some relief to find her lying prone in palace guards arms as she’s dragged out of the dining hall. Light’s heart thrums from the action of the last minute and he’s startled when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he finds the king standing there looking shocked and impressed. If he’s rattled by what just occurred it does not reveal itself in his steady voice as he says, “You just saved my son’s life. A debt must be repaid.”</p><p>Astonished by the king’s words, Light stammers, “Excuse me?”</p><p>The king rubs his chin in thought for a moment, “Yes, you must be rewarded something special,” Returning his attention to Light he says, “You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince L’s manservant.” A rush of applause meets Light’s roaring blood in his ears and makes him dizzy for a moment. He hadn’t realized there were people watching this exchange. Distantly, he hears the prince cry, <em> “What?!” </em>but Light is deep within his head as he considers how he should reject this reward without offending the royal family and the court---with horror, he realizes he absolutely cannot reject the king’s reward, not if he wants to keep his head. But, becoming the prince’s manservant is as good as a death sentence because not only does he dislike the man, but Light’s a warlock and he could be found out so easily if he makes one single mistake in the prince’s presence. Light frowns deeply and catches the equally as displeased look on the prince’s face. However, Light feels the hair on the back of his neck raise to see something that looks like suspicion in the prince's eyes. Light turns away and hopes it was just paranoia that made him think he saw that.</p><p> </p><p>******</p><p> </p><p>If the king thought that being manservant to the crown prince was a special reward, he was duly mistaken. Living in Camelot, Light’s days have never been so full of chores and activity. Even when he was back home and tending the fields and doing his other responsibilities in his village, there was never so much work for him to do that he barely had a moment of respite to himself. Little accidents would occur here and there around the prince’s presence. Maybe the bucket of soap and water Light was using to scrub the prince’s bedroom floor would topple over and soak Light’s knees. Or the prince would track mud on the freshly cleaned floor and look expectantly at Light to not only clean it but also in a way that suggested he was testing Light's reactions. Sometimes the prince would ask Light to heat up a bath in an impossible moment of time and Light had no choice but to do it through non-magical means, which meant tugging bucket after bucket up the stairs as fast as possible without spilling any on himself. If Light didn’t fill up his bath in time, he’d be ordered to go muckout the horse stalls. Light knew exactly what the prince was doing but it didn't make it any easier to do his job. </p><p>Along with that, the prince keeps an odd schedule and Light has yet to truly grow assimilated to it. During his first couple weeks of manservant, Light would often wake up at odd hours of the morning because the prince required his assistance with something as menial as preparing and delivering his breakfast or playing a game of chess with him because he was bored. </p><p>The game of chess is something fairly new between them. During one of the nights when L’s insomnia was particularly bad and he still hadn’t excused Light for the night, L had beckoned Light to the table in which he was sitting at---or more like crouching in his seat at---and he gestured at the chess board in front of him, “Do you play?”</p><p>Light was sleepy and held down a yawn, “No.” He eyed the board game with interest, though. Back home, they didn’t have any games such as these because no one could really afford to spend their money on something that wouldn’t be useful for their lives. </p><p>“You must remember to refer to me as sire,” Light nodded and corrected himself. Prince L started fixing the pieces of the board and said, “Sit down. I’ll teach you but you must listen carefully because I won’t repeat myself twice.”</p><p>The moment Light sat down prince L started explaining the rules without pausing for Light to ask any questions. Internally, Light filed down all he could about the rules and found he kind of anticipated starting the game. He already had some ideas of what he could do and when prince L surprisingly told him he could make the first move Light did so. Their first game ended rather quickly, and even if he lost, Light thought he did rather well for his first time playing. Once Light felt a little more comfortable with the rules and what he could and couldn’t do, the next couple of rounds the games lasted rather longer. All thoughts of the late hour slipped away from Light’s mind and he immersed himself in the game. Out of the four games, Light won two. After their last one, prince L finally yawned and started rearranging the pieces back on the board. He simply said, “You’re excused, Light. We’ll play again tomorrow night.”</p><p>As such, Light discovered that the prince was somewhat tolerable during the moments when they played chess. They didn’t talk that much except for when prince L would order Light to do something, so Light liked playing games of chess with him because there were no orders to be had. Despite this, that still didn’t mean that he enjoyed his job all that much especially when the prince seemed to be dead set on making it as difficult as possible for him. </p><p>As it happens, it also turns out there are many people who want the prince dead. To a certain extent, Light understands why but he can’t just let him <em> die </em> just because he’s a jerk. Along with juggling the work that prince L tosses at him he often needs to uncover any new assassination plots that arise. And they crop up quite frequently. Luckily, most of the time, Light is able to nip the plots right in the bud before anything too drastic should happen.</p><p>Except, for the poisoned chalice. </p><p> </p><p>******</p><p> </p><p>In the dim light of L’s room, Light sets down the prince’s clothes for the newest feast on the bed and smooths out the wrinkles with his hands. The shirt and pants are both the rich color of royal blue, a dye hard to come by and reserved for those who can afford it. Fine silver thread lines the collar and seams of the shirt and Light admires the designs for a moment. Looking at the fine clothes, he feels a flash of envy because his own clothes are years-old and well-worn. </p><p>L is particularly quiet behind him, likely because he doesn’t even want to go to the party in the first place and doesn’t mind Light being distracted and slow to prepare him. When L catches sight of the clothes on the bed he says, “Am I meant to be wearing <em> that </em>?”</p><p>“Yes, these are your formal clothes.”</p><p>L unfolds from his crouched position in his chair and peers at the get-up Light pulled out for him, “Don’t I have anything else?”</p><p>“You do, but most of them don’t look like they’ve been cleaned in a while.”</p><p>“And whose fault would that be?” L doesn’t wait for an answer as he pulls out one of his other formal shirts from his wardrobe and then he shudders and drops the shirt back in the drawer, “The smell of honey and pear stains do not age well,” He roots through the other shirts and comes up with similar conclusions before defeatedly returning to Light, “Can you tell my father I’m unwell?”</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>L casually waves a hand, “Sure you can, I’m sure you’re very good at telling lies.”</p><p>Furrowing his brow Light asks, “What does that mean?”</p><p>“You’ve got an innocent face, most people would believe you if you told them a lie.”</p><p>“I see,” Light starts undressing L mostly for something to do, “Well, I’m not going to tell them you’re sick. Looks like you’ll have to suffer through another banquet in silence.”</p><p>Disappearing behind the blue shirt, L’s face pops back into view with something like a pout as he stares down at his shirt, “This is itchy."</p><p>Light discreetly rolls his eyes and then finishes dressing the prince, "Alright, you're ready to go."</p><p>L scratches at his shirt sleeve and then something flashes in his eyes, "Light, do you think you're not going too?"</p><p>Light blinks, "Yes?" </p><p>"Oh no, if I have to sit through Bayard's boring speeches I don't see why you should get out of it," With a start Light realizes that the glint in L's eyes is oddly mischievous, "You'll be there too. You'll make sure my cup doesn't run dry. Do you want to see what you'll be wearing?"</p><p>Light had been hoping for an early night's sleep and is disappointed but not surprised to see that possibility thrown out the window. Somewhat grumpily, he asks, "Won't this do?"</p><p>"No," L goes through a chest that Light hasn't yet gone through and returns bearing a mess of red fabric in his arms, "Tonight you'll be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot," Seeing Light's expression, he says, "Looks like you'll have to silently suffer as well."</p><p> </p><p>******</p><p> </p><p>Wearing the so-called ceremonial servant robes of Camelot, Light tries to remain in the shadows of the banquet hall so few people would see him in the ridiculous outfit fit for a court jester. Catching L's eye above the sea of guests, Light scowls when he sees L smirk barely imperceptibly behind his thumb. Tossing around less than flattering insults in his head, all of them directed at the prince of Camelot, Light's is surprised when someone approaches him. It's one of the maids he's seen around the kitchens during his chores and she has barely concealed anxiety in her eyes as she reaches him and whispers, "I need to speak to you."</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>"Not here, please. I don't know who else to tell," Light throws a glance around the room before following her to one of the more shady and quiet halls outside the banquet room. She's one of the newer maids and he's not sure he recognizes her, but he hopes whatever she has to tell him is important. As it happens, she unburdens much troubling news. In confidence, she tells him that Lord Bayard wants to capture Camelot for himself and that he plans on beginning to do so by poisoning L. As soon as she confirms that she did see Lord Bayard poison L's chalice does Light run back into the crowd. </p><p>With horror, he sees everyone standing to toast the end of Lord Bayard's speech. When L is about to take a drink from his goblet, Light cries, "Stop! It's poisoned! Don't drink it!"</p><p>Everyone pauses and murmurs of disbelief rise amongst the guest of the banquet. The king and Bayard look at Light in outraged disbelief, the king asks, "What is the meaning of this?"  Light notices L peering down into his chalice and sniffing it, thankfully not drinking it. </p><p>"The prince's goblet has been poisoned by Bayard, your majesty."</p><p>Bayard cries, "This is an outrage!" and his men draw their swords as if to emphasize his point. In response, the knights of Camelot also draw their swords and advance threateningly forward. </p><p>The king turns his ire on Bayard, "Tell your men to put down their swords." </p><p>"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!"</p><p>More of Camelot's guards start rushing in and the king returns his attention to Light who was watching this exchange with mounting anxiety. The tensions between these two kingdoms has been tenuous at best and it appears that the careful truce that they had called during the banquet is easily set to break. "On what grounds do you base this accusation?"</p><p>A silence befalls everyone as they wait for Light's reply, he says, "Someone saw him lacing it."</p><p>"Who saw him?"</p><p>"I can't say," He does not know the serving girl's name and even if he did it would be no help to tell them because she will likely face harsher punishment than him. </p><p>Bayard's face pinches in frustration, "I won't listen to this any longer."</p><p>The king studies L's goblet that L set on the table---it looks almost innocent. He picks it up and then says, "If what you say is true, then you have nothing to fear if you drink from it, do you?"</p><p>Bayard meets the challenge in the king's eyes and sheathes his sword. As he reaches for the goblet, the king changes his mind and then says, "No, if this does prove poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself," he lifts it to Light and says, "You'll drink it."</p><p>Light's eyes widen in surprise and L finally speaks with an unreadable expression, "He'll die."</p><p>The king turns to L and says, "Oh? So you know it's poisoned?"</p><p>"No, I smelled nothing unusual from it and the coloring appears to be untouched," On the table, there are drops of the wine shining liking blood next to two other drops, "I compared the coloring to the other glasses of wine. I don't know what's in that goblet but if I can run some other tests---"</p><p>With a tight expression, the king interrupts him and says, "From what you say, I'd say there's nothing at all in this goblet. The boy should have no trouble drinking it then," Beckoning Light to take it he says, "Come here and take it."</p><p>With his heart in his throat, Light takes the goblet and before he can think better of it, he drinks from it. For a moment, everything is fine and Light even says so, but then black dots race across his eyes and send him tumbling down to the floor. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is so dumb. I wrote this in one day hahaha can u tell? oof.<br/>idk what possessed me to write this...</p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading! </p><p>Come find me at Tumblr @lightsredapple<br/>X)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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